Electric battery.



` No. 746,514. 'PATENTED DEG. 8, 1903.

M. R.. HUTCHISON.-

ELECTRIC BATTERY.

APPLIOATIONHLED 11011.15, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented December 8, 1903.

y PATENT OFFICE.

MILLER REESE I-IUTCHISON, OF NORWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO vHUTCHISONACOUSTIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 746,514, datedDecember 8, 12903. Application tiled November 15. 1902. Serial No.131.550. (No model.)

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to electric batteries,

the object being to provide a construction for r sealing and ventingadapted either for primary or secondary batteries, whereby gasesgenerated in the cell during the charging of a secondary cell or while aprimary cell is on closed circuit will have a free escape, while theliquid solution will be effectually sealed in.

A further object of my invention is to provide ready means forreplenishing the liquid solution that may have been evaporated ordecomposed during the charging of the battery without destroying thesealing and venting characteristics.

It is well known thatl a wet cell is more` serviceable and satisfactorythan a dry cell, and if a wet cell can be so constructed as to avoid theescape of the solution it is generally preferable to use it. Cells whichare intended to be carried upon the personas, for instance, in thepocket-should in particular be constructed to obviate the escape;

of the solution, and it is to such cells that my invention is especiallyapplicable, although not conned.

Myimproved construction will be fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a three-cell battery with parts brokenaway and in section. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section through the body of the battery, and Figs. 4 and 5are details.

The containing vessel A may be of hard rubber or other suitable materialand may contain one or more cells. As shown, however, three cells areformed by means of two partitions A', each cell being rectangular incross-section. There may be any suitable number of plates or electrodesa andb in each cell; but I have shown only three. I have also shown theplates as insulated by an absorbent material, such as blotting-paper c;

but it will be understood that this material may be omitted and theelectrolyte allowed free circulation between and around the plates. Eachplate is provided at its upper end with an elongated lug e, having nearits base a shoulder e and near its upperend an other shoulder, e2. Theplates are so disposed in the cell that the two outside ones have 6otheir lugs opposite each other against one wall of the cell, while thelug of the intermediate plate is against the opposite wall of the cell.

fand g are two horizontal partitions of substantially the sameconguration, each having three notches adapted to tit `around therespective lugs e of the plates. The partition f rests upon theshoulders e', while partition g is spaced some distance abovef and rests7o upon the shoulders c2 to form an intermediate chamber h between thecell proper and the atmosphere. These partitions make close mechanicalits with the lugs e and 'the walls of the cell, but for further securityand sealing may have cement applied to the edges. Partition f contains acentral threaded opening f' and to one side ofthe central opening arestricted or capillary opening f2. The partition g contains only acentral opening, but 8o of somewhat larger diameter than the opening f.

i is a plug having a reduced and threaded lower end t', adapted to enterthe threaded holef, and having a head @"2 with a notch for 85 ascrew-driver, by which it may be screwed into and out of place in thetwo partitions, the body of the plug fitting the hole in the partitiong,while the head 'i2 rests upon the upper surface of said partition. Theplug is 9o furthermore provided with a passage i3, which establishescommunication between the intermediate chamber h and the atmosphere.Packing-washers j are inserted between the plug and each of thepartitions to prevent the escape ot' gas or liquid through the oriicesin the partitions.

The size of the passage f2 is such that the free liquid in the cell canpass through it only with the greatest difficulty and then 1oo veryslowly; yet it is of suihcient capacity to allow gases generated in thecell to escape into the intermediate chamber h, whence they freely passto the atmosphere through the hollow plug t'. A battery so constructedcan be handled even carelessly wit-hout the escape of liquid, for if thecell is allowed to rest upon its side or top it will require a long timebefore enough of it escapes into the intermediate chamber to enter andpass out through the passage i3 in the plug, and it cannot injure theclothing or become otherwise obnoxious until the lnal escape through theplug. Before this can take place under ordinary circumstances theinverted position of the cell would be discovered and corrected,whereupon the small quantity of liquid that may have reached theintermediate chamber will flow back into the cell by the same passagethrough which it escaped. The intermediate chamber therefore becomes atrap for such liquid as would ordinarily escape by careless handling ofthe cell and insures the return of the liquid to the cell when abnormalconditions have been corrected.

, The process of replenishing the solution of the cell is very simple,consisting merely in unscrewing and removing the plug t' and introducingthe liquid by means of a dropping tube or syringe, the nozzle of whichcan be passed through the openings in both partitions, or the liquid canbe poured into the intermediate chamber and allowed to flow through theopenings in the partition f into the cell. Were it not for the necessityof refilling the cell, the plug '1l could be dispensed with and thepassage s placed in partition g.

It is obvious that the lugs on the electrodes need not penetrate both oreither of the diaphragms, as the interconnection of the plates toestablish the circuits can be accomplished inside of the cell and belowthe partitions, the essential feature of my invention being theformation of the trap.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In a battery-cell, thecombination of the electrodes and electrolyte, the former havingelongated lugs extending substantially to the top of the cell,twohorizontal partitions spaced apart and fitting around said lugs and thewalls of the cell and each provided with a passage, for the purpose setforth.

2. In an electric battery, the combination of a cell containing a numberof electrodes each of whichis provided with an upwardlyprojecting lug,two horizontal partitions arranged in the upper part of the cell andsupported upon said lugs and forming a closed space' between them, and aplug passing through the upper partition and screwing into the lower,whereby by removing the same a filling-orifice is provided, said plughaving' a longitudinal passage extending from its outer end to a pointabout midway between the partitions to form a venting-passage for saidinclosed space and capillary openings in the lower partition throughwhich gases can pass from the cell into said inclosed space.

In witness whereof I subscribeV my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

MILLER REESE HUTCHISON.

Witnesses:

WALno M. CHAPIN, FRANK S. OBER.

